There are several causes of bed wetting. Primary nocturnal enuresis or bed wetting since infancy can be attributed to two most common causes. It could be a neurological-developmental delay or these children are just delayed in developing their ability to stay dry and control their bladder. Meanwhile, there are also studies showing that bed wetting could also run in the family. If one of the parents is bed wetting until the age of five, there is about 45% that one of his kids will also experience that.

However, it is still not safe to rule out other causes. Genetic and developmental delay can be the most common causes but they cannot be identified immediately. There are different causes which can be detected by series of exams which is why, it is important for some parents to go to a doctor first.

Many causes of child bedwetting

Here are other causes of bed wetting:

Diseases and infections. About 5% of bed wetting is caused by infections and disease, urinary tract infection is the most common.

Physical abnormalities. There are some individuals who actually have a smaller bladder and lesser bladder capacity. Children’s bladder may not be developed enough.

Constipation. Too much pressure on the bladder like constipated bowels can cause urination.

ADHD. Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD have 2.7 times of higher possibility for bed wetting to happen.
Drinks. There are some drinks that causes more urine like caffeine and alcohol consumption.

Hormonal imbalance. There are some children who do not develop anti-diuretic hormone or ADH. This hormone slows down urine production.

Sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is an obstructive sleeping condition, the individual finds it difficult to breathe and is obstructed while sleeping. Bed wetting is not the only sign or symptom of sleep apnea, it could also include snoring, sore throat, and even daytime drowsiness.

Food allergies. Although, the link is not properly established and may require additional research, food allergies can also be cause of bed wetting.

Psychological causes. There are some incidents that may trigger bed wetting among children and even adults. For example, a traumatic experience like an accident, sexual abuse, death or bullying.

Stress. Bed wetting could be associated with returning or secondary enuresis. Stress from family issues or other social events like divorce, moving to a new place, a new member of the family or death could be a factor for bed wetting to return.

Understanding what causes bed wetting would help you understand how to manage or cure your child’s bed wetting incidents. However, before you get any kind of medication or undergo any therapy, it would be better to get medical help. Through series of tests, doctors would be able to identify what causes you child to wet the mattress and later on, define a therapy suited for your kid.

Some parents would however involve their child in changing their bed wetting sheets and clothes. Also, cleaning mattress after bed wetting. Some parents would say that this motivates that child to wake up the next night when they feel like going to the bathroom. However, it is important to keep it as a no big deal issue to avoid too much pressure on the child. Too much stress and pressure on the child could make bed wetting even worse.

When involving your child in the cleaning process, make sure to keep a low-key attitude. Dealing with bed wetting is not about blaming, replacing the sheets is not about making your child embarrassed or being punished by the situation, it is about undergoing and dealing with the problem as a family.

Cleaning Up After Bedwetting

To reduce night time accidents, you could use mattress protectors, bed wetting covers of rubber and plastic. You could use a garbage plastic bag, split it open and cover it. You could even use old vinyl table cloth with the fabric side up. This could help protect your mattress from bed wetting stains. Always have plenty of sheets available.

When cleaning up after a bed time accident, doing it fast is important to make sure that the smell would not set in the fabrics. Remove the sheets and the blankets so the urine will not soak the mattress. Immediately place the sheets and the blankets in the washer. Your child’s clothes should also be washed immediately to avoid odor stains.

Aside from that, make sure that your little one is also clean. Wash with soap and water. Urine could cause rashes and irritation, so make sure that they are rubbed clean and wearing fresh clothes. Avoid punishing them, you may be irritated by waking up in the middle of the night to strip some sheets, but do not dump them on your child.

Dealing with mattresses may be more difficult, especially if there are no protective covers. You could start by pressing some rags or towels in the area where urine has soaked up the mattress. This would remove the urine that is still there. There are some fabric cleaners which could be used to clean a wet mattress affected by bed wetting like Urine-Off. You would just have the scrub the area with a sponge and dry it up with towels.

There may be instructions along with the mattress on how you could clean them. You could call the manufacturers if you are unsure on how to clean mattress. Vinyl mattresses are easy to clean, since you would just have to wipe it with cleaners. Spray it first with some germ-killing spray before remaking the bed. If your child is frequently bed wetting, then you would need to have the mattresses steam cleaned on a regular basis.

However, the most affordable option is buy a vinyl protective mattress cover.

Common Causes

Bed wetting can be caused by a variety of things. The condition may commonly be caused by one or more factors. One of the more common causes involves the delay in the development of the ability to control their bladders. This is usually common among kids who seem to experience delays on their ability to control their bladders. This usually is not related other developmental problems and seem to occur commonly in children.

Another known cause of bed wetting may be related to genetics. Kids who have parents who experienced bed wetting while they were young also have greater chances of developing the same condition. Research has shown that there are certain genes associated with bed wetting and may be passed on to kids from their parents. Kids with parents who had enuresis when they were young are 77 percent more likely to develop the condition as compared to 15 percent for kids with parents who never experienced bed wetting.

Disease and Infection

Although genetics and developmental delays are two of the most common causes of bed wetting, doctors are not as fast to rule out other possible causes that may also be considered as serious. Poor control of the bladder can be due to certain infections in the urinary tract.

Certain physical abnormalities cause bed wetting

Physical Abnormalities

Sometimes bed wetting may be a result of certain physical abnormalities such as a smaller than normal bladder. This usually leads to lesser bladder capacity than may contribute to bed wetting in some people when they sleep at night. There are times when the body produces insufficient anti-diuretic hormone. This is especially more common in kids. The anti-diuretic hormone usually increases its production during night time, signalling the kidneys to produce less urine. This process usually is developed at around the age of ten.

Psychological Issues

There are times when the root cause of bed wetting may be psychological in nature. Extreme stress may be a factor in some people experiencing enuresis. Certain psychological disorders may also have enuresis as one of their symptoms. There are also studies that have found that people with certain mental handicaps also have a higher rate of bedwetting problems.

Other Factors

There are many other factors that may cause bed wetting in some people. Chronic constipation is one of them. There are times when pressure is exerted on the bladder at times when the bowels are full which can lead to enuresis. Alcohol and caffeine consumption may also cause bed wetting since they can help increase urine production when taken.

Bedwetting alarms are not terribly expensive and can be a very good way to treat this problem, particularly if the child is simply not waking up to urinate. Sleeping too deeply is a very common cause of bedwetting and the child who suffers from it is the best candidate for a bedwetting alarm.

Bed Wetting Alarm

While some parents feel that a bed wetting alarm is too invasive, it has proven results. The child is usually woken up early in the urination process, which helps his body realize that he is urinating in his sleep. It is important to wake the bedwetter up completely and take him to the bathroom to finish the process. Cold baths and spankings are not recommended since bedwetting is not usually something a child can prevent.

After a while, the child’s body will anticipate the bedwetting alarm and when his bladder is about to release, he will wake up instead of wetting the bed. The amount of time this process takes depends greatly on how sound a sleeper the child is and exactly what is the cause of his bedwetting. There are certain conditions that will not respond to a bedwetting alarm and in these cases, consulting a doctor is probably the best choice for all involved.

Some conditions that a bedwetting alarm might not be able to treat include physiological problems caused by abuse or a traumatic event in the child’s life, or a chronic bladder infection. Another possible cause is growth. Some children just grow too quickly for their bladders and find it difficult to hold urine in for long. Combined with being a heavy sleeper, this can be a big cause of bedwetting. In some cases, a bedwetting alarm may be effective, but it may be necessary to simply wait until the entire body has caught up.

Bedwetting alarms have helped many children regain the night and be able to go on sleepovers. They are a very useful tool in promoting a good night’s sleep for the entire family.

Indeed, enuresis has many unpleasant effects on both the child and the parents. But these effects can be minimized if parents do away with all the misconceptions and learn the truth about their children’s condition.  The following are the myths and facts about enuresis that every parent should know:

Myth 1: Bedwetters are too lazy to control their urination
This assumption is not only inaccurate, but also destructive because it only makes the child feel bad about himself. The truth is, bedwetters have no control over their condition.

Myth 2: Children who wet their bed have emotional or mental problems
This misconception may have stemmed from the fact that autistic children usually wet their bed. That is not the case in most bedwetters. Although enuresis results in psychological problems such as low self-esteem, these problems do not cause children to wet their bed. But stress and other emotional issues such as divorce of parents or death of a loved one can trigger enuresis in children who previously have had dry nights.

Myth 3: Wearing diapers at night will slow down the process of getting rid of the habit
Experts say that using diapers does not prevent a child from outgrowing enuresis on his own. In fact, diapers offer some benefits. For the bedwetters, diapers prevent them from getting wet and cold when they wake up. For parents, diapers spare them the burden of changing the bed covers or washing the mattresses frequently.

Myth 4: Fluid intake before bedtime causes enuresis
Yes, restricting the amount of fluid intake before your child goes to sleep can lessen the volume of urine released during nighttime. However, drinking liquids before bedtime does not cause the child to wet his bed.

Fact 1: Enuresis is hereditary.
If there is a history of enuresis in your family, your child is likely to become a bed wetter. Three out of four children who suffer from the condition have a family history of enuresis.

Fact 2: Some bedwetters have a functionally small (not anatomically small) bladder
This means these children quickly feel a full bladder, so the urge to urinate is frequent.

Fact 3: Bedwetters find it hard to rouse from sleep, which keeps them from responding to their body’s signal to urinate

Fact 4: Hormonal imbalance causes enuresis
Some children lack the amount of anti-diuretic hormone that signals the kidneys to produce less urine while they sleep. The result? More urine at nighttime.

Fact 5: Enuresis may be a symptom of underlying medical conditions
If your child suffers from bed wetting, it is likely that he may have one or two of the following diseases: diabetes, urinary tract infection, sleep apnea, spinal cord problems, and constipation.

Bedwetting could be a symptom of underlying medical conditions

It is recommended that you visit a doctor to have your child checked and to get advice on the possible treatment methods to stop enuresis.